'Fahrenheit 451' lights up stage

'Fahrenheit 451' comes to Langford Auditorium on Friday.

The nonprofit New York City-based Aquila Theatre, founded in London in 1991, carries the lofty goal of bringing "the greatest theatrical works to the greatest number." No wonder, then, that its impending production of a classic Ray Bradbury tale would be just one stop on a busy calendar of international festivals, New York performances and visits to roughly 70 American towns and cities each year.

The company delivers Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451," first published in 1953, during a one-night-only Great Performances at Vanderbilt event. It takes place at 8 p.m. Friday in Langford Auditorium on the Vanderbilt University campus, at the corner of Garland and 22nd avenues. Admission is $30-$40 with discounts for Vanderbilt faculty/staff, seniors and all students.

As for the piece, its science fiction elements originally were deemed far-fetched. With time, a disturbing portion of the concepts have come to pass. It tells the tale of a society where books have been banned and reality TV and celebrity status trump substance. "Even language is under threat," notes Peter Meineck, Aquila's artistic director. "At a time when most American families did not even own a television, Bradbury's prophecy is chilling in its accuracy."